Liam Everhart woke up the next morning with the same hope he always had:
maybe—just maybe—today would be normal.
Then the ceiling above him exploded.
Not figuratively.
Literally.
BOOOOM!
Chunks of wood flew everywhere as a blinding beam of golden light shot down from the heavens like a divine spotlight searching for an idiot.
That idiot, sadly, was Liam.
He lay frozen on his bed, staring up at the floating celestial goddess hovering above him like a glowing war crime.
"Oh no… not again," Liam groaned.
The goddess, Lyria of the Celestial Court, crossed her arms. "Rise, Hero of Light! The world awaits—"
A plank of wood dropped on her head.
"Ow," she muttered.
Liam sighed. "Can we stop destroying my house every time you show up?"
"I do not control the dramatic entrance magic!" Lyria snapped. "It is celestial tradition!"
"You dropped the ceiling on me."
"That was holy structural cleansing. You're welcome."
Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. It was too early for divine nonsense.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "What is it now? Did another demon trip over my livestock?"
Lyria glared at him. "For the last time, that demon general slipped on your chicken by coincidence!"
"My chicken has homicidal tendencies," Liam corrected.
As if summoned, the chicken—whose name was Sir Clucksalot—strolled into the room, chest puffed, eyes glowing faintly red. It stared at the goddess with undisguised hostility.
Lyria flinched. "Keep that creature away from me."
"He is just saying hi," Liam said.
Clucksalot let out a demonic-sounding bok-krrrrrghk that rattled the window.
"See?" Liam said. "Harmless."
"It sounds like it crawled out of a hell pit," Lyria muttered.
"It did."
Lyria nearly choked. "WHAT?!"
"Long story," Liam shrugged. "It involves corn possessed by a minor demon."
"I—never mind!" Lyria shook her head. "We have a much bigger problem."
---
The Hero's First Problem of the Day
Lyria snapped her fingers, and a floating screen appeared in front of Liam, glowing gold. The text rotated dramatically, like it wanted applause.
> [EMERGENCY QUEST: ATTEND THE ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMONING CEREMONY]
[Failure Penalty: The extinction of three small villages and possibly your dignity]
Liam blinked. "Extinction of WHAT!?"
"There is a prophecy," Lyria said gravely. "The Royal Academy of Mages, Knights, and Heroes will summon a 'Chosen Champion.'"
"Wait," Liam said slowly. "Isn't that… me?"
Lyria hesitated. "In theory."
"What do you mean in theory?"
"Well… the summoning spell might accidentally pick someone else."
"Why?"
She coughed. "Because your soul signature is currently… confusing."
"How confusing?"
Lyria looked away. "…It reads as 50% Holy Hero and 50% Demon King."
Liam stared at her. "So I'm a magical identity crisis."
"Yes."
"And that could cause the summoning spell to… pick the wrong person?"
"Yes."
"And that would cause doom?"
"Catastrophic doom."
"…Should I be concerned?"
"Yes."
Liam rubbed his face. So much for normal.
---
A Very Unprepared Journey
"So I just have to go to the Royal Academy, right?" Liam asked hopefully.
"Correct," Lyria said. "If you show up near the summoning circle, the spell will lock onto you instead of some poor random bystander."
"That sounds easy."
"Good!" Lyria clapped. "Pack your things!"
Liam grabbed a small bag.
"What are you packing?" she asked.
"Clothes, dried meat, a map, some coin—"
Lyria grabbed the bag and threw it out the window.
"Hey!"
"You won't need that!" she said proudly. "Everything will be provided for you as the Hero of Light."
Sir Clucksalot walked to the window, looked down at the fallen bag, then back at Liam.
Even the chicken thought this was stupid.
"This seems like terrible planning," Liam said.
"Nonsense!" Lyria said. "Heroes never plan. They improvise!"
"That explains why most Heroes die."
"WHAT WAS THAT!?"
"Nothing."
Liam grabbed his new staff—a weapon the goddess had given him. It was shiny, elegant, and very magical-looking, but unfortunately…
It turned into a fish if he held it the wrong way.
A whole fish.
So he packed the fish-staff carefully.
---
The Goddess and the Chicken: A Rivalry Begins
Outside, the entire village gathered to see him off.
"GO SAVE THE WORLD, LIAM!"
"DON'T DIE!"
"BRING BACK SOUVENIRS!"
"CAN I HAVE YOUR BED IF YOU FAIL!?"
Liam sighed. "Guys… encouraging words?"
An elder stepped forward. "Oh, right. Ahem… try not to trigger another demonic rift."
"That happened ONE time!"
"And you adopted the demon chicken it came with!" the elder shouted.
Clucksalot puffed up proudly.
Lyria floated above the crowd, glowing like a floating lantern. "Behold! I shall teleport him to the Academy gates!"
She lifted her hands dramatically.
"Oh no," Liam whispered. "Not teleportation."
Golden lightning crackled.
Villagers backed away.
Clucksalot hid behind Liam's leg.
"May the light guide your—"
A massive blast erupted.
When the smoke cleared…
Lyria was upside down in the ground, legs sticking out.
Liam was sitting on a tree branch twenty meters away.
And Clucksalot was perfectly fine, sitting atop Lyria's feet.
The villagers clapped politely.
"One of your better attempts," someone commented.
Lyria pulled herself out of the dirt, coughing up soil. "Teleportation magic is… tricky."
"It's okay," Liam said gently. "We can walk."
"Yes…" Lyria muttered. "…walking is safer."
Clucksalot strutted triumphantly, as if he had defeated the goddess in combat.
Lyria glared at him. "One day, chicken… one day."
---
The Road to the Academy
The path to the Royal Capital, Xerath, stretched for miles. Rolling green fields, sparkling rivers, magical forests—beautiful scenery…
…and swarming with monsters.
Liam walked calmly while Lyria floated behind him, lecturing like an extremely shiny mother.
"Now remember," she said, "you must NOT under any circumstances reveal your demon side."
Liam nodded.
"And avoid touching demonic objects."
He nodded again.
"And do not let anyone sense your unbalanced mana flow."
Third nod.
"And do NOT—under ANY conditions—anger the Church."
Liam turned. "Why would I even—"
A loud rustling came from the bushes.
Lyria shrieked. "MONSTER!!"
A rabbit hopped out.
Lyria blasted it with holy light.
The rabbit incinerated instantly.
"WHY—" Liam waved his hands in panic. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?"
"I sensed dark intent!" Lyria argued.
"It was eating grass!"
"You don't know that!!"
Suddenly, a massive shadow rose behind them.
A towering wolf, three times Liam's height, snarled with glowing red eyes.
Lyria gasped. "A Shadowfang Alpha!"
Liam tightened his grip on his staff. "Okay. I'll handle this—"
Clucksalot jumped forward.
The wolf looked down.
The chicken looked up.
Silence.
Then—
BOK-KRRRRRRAAAAH!
A screech so demonic the trees shook.
The wolf whimpered.
Liam blinked. "Wait, is the chicken—"
Clucksalot pecked the wolf ONCE.
The wolf fainted.
Lyria stared in horror. "WHY does it have demon aura stronger than a general!?"
Liam shrugged. "He eats a lot."
"That is NOT a normal chicken diet!"
"He likes spicy worms."
"That does NOT explain—"
Clucksalot hopped back to Liam, proud.
Lyria muttered, "I am beginning to think the chicken is the real final boss…"
---
Arrival at the Royal Academy
By afternoon, they reached the capital.
The Royal Academy of Asteria stood at the center, towering with elegant spires, runes glowing faintly across the walls. It was massive—like a castle, library, battlefield, and shopping mall had a magical baby.
Students from all over the kingdom poured in through the gates, dressed in cloaks, armor, and robes.
Liam looked around nervously. "So many people…"
"Yes!" Lyria said dramatically. "And ALL of them will witness your glory!"
"I would prefer they didn't."
"Glory!"
Liam sighed.
Suddenly—
A horn blasted.
A circle of ancient runes lit up in the center courtyard.
"The summoning is starting!" Lyria shouted.
Liam panicked. "Already?!"
"Go! GO!"
He sprinted forward, dodging confused students, nearly tripping on a dwarf, almost dropping his fish-staff twice.
Lyria flew behind him screaming, "RUN, HERO! RUN LIKE THE WIND!"
Clucksalot rode on Liam's shoulder like a tiny, angry war general.
The magic circle brightened.
A beam of light shot upward.
The summoning had begun.
An instructor raised his hands. "WE SUMMON THE CHAMPION OF THIS ERA—"
"WAIT!" Liam yelled, rushing toward the circle.
Energy pulsed. Light exploded.
Liam dove into the circle—
…and crashed into someone.
Both fell to the ground.
The light disappeared.
The summoning finished.
Everyone stared.
Liam looked at the person he collided with.
It was a girl about his age—with silver hair, bright blue eyes, and a slightly terrified expression.
She held a staff.
Her hand glowed with summoning energy.
Liam froze.
Lyria screamed.
Clucksalot clucked dramatically.
The instructor blinked. "I… I think… we summoned her."
Everyone stared.
The girl blinked nervously.
"H-Hi… I'm… uh… the new Chosen Hero?"
Liam's soul left his body.
Lyria grabbed her head.
"No…
no no no no NO…
SHE GOT SUMMONED INSTEAD OF YOU!"
The girl looked at Liam.
"…Sorry?"
Liam whispered, dead inside:
"...this is bad."
The magical sky display confirmed it:
> [NEW CHOSEN HERO SUMMONED: ARIA MOONFALL]
Lyria screamed into the void.
Clucksalot pecked the ground angrily.
And Liam, the actual Hero of Prophecy, had just failed his very first quest.
This journey…
was going to be a disaster.